About

Trajectory of Life is the lifestyle blog of Nicole Haddenham, née Carlson, a writer living in Denver, Colo., who spends her 9-5 working in technology. Nicole began blogging in 2007 but has been putting words to paper since she was quite young, starting her first writing club — The Petite Poets — in elementary school. Currently, Nicole leads a monthly writing circle called Denver Creates, a community of writers who have been meeting since early 2016.

Beyond her love for writing, Nicole has a pretty intense case of wanderlust and a curiosity for just about everything. She is never without a book and usually has at least a few she’s in various stages of reading. Nicole started Trajectory of a Life as a method of sharing her life’s trajectory with friends, family and anyone else interested, as well as to connect with like-minded individuals. The blog features stories of giving back, travel, life experiences and lessons, weekly reflections and more.

Originally from a small town in South Dakota, Nicole has also called home the states of Wyoming, Delaware and now Colorado, where she currently lives with her pup and husband.

To find out more about Nicole, visit her website at nicjoy.me and connect with her via social media:

{All opinions, including product reviews, are her own. All photos unless otherwise specified are her own.}

my manifesto

I believe in kindness for self and others. | I believe in do-gooding regularly with no need for recognition. | I believe in pedicures and spa days. | I believe learning new things and taking classes is the path to self. | I believe taking steps outside one’s comfort zone should be done daily. | I believe accessories make an outfit. | I believe music is truly good for the soul. | I believe in solo travel and movies and dinner dates. | I believe in wanderlust. | I believe in making lists and plans and goals. | I believe in taking time to laugh and learn and love. | I believe your life is your message to the world and you should do all you can to make it inspiring. | I believe in leaving a legacy. | I believe being at 36k feet with no access to cellphones is bliss. | I believe in pausing and mindfulness and taking time to just be. | I believe the city is where I belong but there’s something to be said about wide-open spaces. | I believe in friendships and time spent laughing and building relationships. | I believe we are all connected. | I believe a home filled with books is a happy one. | I believe in hard work and integrity. | I believe we are all doing the best we can with what we have. | I believe in mountain air and campfires and stargazing and majestic peaks. | I believe that my feet hitting the pavement and fresh air filling my lungs can change even the worst day. | I believe in lazy weekend mornings of writing and coffee drinking. | I believe in being a little bit overdressed for every occasion. | I believe in spending time with kiddos + seeing life through their eyes. | I believe in recording life through journals and blog posts. | I believe living in the arena and being vulnerable is the only true way to grow as a human being. | I believe in doing what sparks joy. | I believe the only way out is through. | I believe in owning your story. | I believe nothingis wasted. | I believe in holding myself to a standard of grace, not perfection. | I believe in beginning again, and again, and again. ~Nicole Joy, 1/3/2016